


Hold Me Without Question

by SmallAnxietic



Series: RK900 [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Hugging, Kind of friends to lovers but it isnt really established, M/M, Other, all of my works are neutral unless said otherwise, gender neutral reader, he isnt deviant (yet), in this fic we love and appreciate a soft nines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 05:03:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19100251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmallAnxietic/pseuds/SmallAnxietic
Summary: A collection of times where you and the detective RK900 share an embrace. For some reason. Why was he hugging you, again?(You never get an answer)





	Hold Me Without Question

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “I knew I was in love with you when we sat in silence."

 

You weren’t sure how many people Nines let into his personal bubble, but you did know you were one of the probable few. Maybe. Actually, you weren’t quite sure.

 

Nines would… hug you. But that was pretty much it.

 

The first time it happened you were both surprised and worried because of course you were. It was well known that Nines was one of the few androids who didn’t resort to deviancy and that he was cold and calculated. He didn’t really  _ care _ for humans but he didn’t hate them either. He just tolerated everyone, humans and androids alike, so that he could accomplish whatever mission he had. 

 

But he didn’t show any sort of emotions. Of course he didn’t, because Nines didn’t have any. The android stressed this fact to many people several times. He wasn’t a manipulator unless he had to be for a case. He didn’t want any confusion between his peers because it only made things difficult. So if _maybe_ he did something that looked kind, Nines always followed it up with a quick comment about how he was an Android and he was just doing his job. That was it.

 

So the first night he hugged you, you didn’t know what to think. You still didn’t.

 

When it happened, It was dark and after hours. Only a few officers were spread thin around their desks. You personally had stayed at the precinct after hours to make up for some lost time since you had been sick earlier in the week. Once you took a small moment to yourself in the break room, Nines was there. You greeted him and failed to notice the look in his eyes as you headed for the cupboards for a snack.

 

He had turned you around and scooped you up into his arms without a word. Nines was quite taller than you, so when he wrapped his arms under your armpits and stood, you weren’t surprised that your toes didn’t touch the ground. 

 

He kept you there, frozen and shocked in his arms for around a minute before he set you back on the ground and then promptly left. 

 

_Honestly_ , what were you supposed to make of that? 

 

You hoped to get some answers the next day at work, but alas, that wasn’t the case. Nines refused to mention it and you were too confused to try and make him say anything, so you went back to normal. And normal really wasn’t much of anything between you two. You were casual work friends and that was about it. It was the same with pretty much everyone else. He either treated you fairly or not, but that was it. No one was closer to him than he saw fit.

 

Much to your relief, he didn’t hug you that day. Or the next. The whole week went by before he did it again. Because yes, he did do it again.

 

It was the same thing as before. You were both alone in the break room where he held you close for a short time before leaving mutely. It made your heart flutter with anxiety and the comfort of feeling a warm body against yours, but that hardly mattered. If he noticed your increased heart rate, he said nothing, and you didn't want him to. 

 

As you've learned from working with him and the upbringing of... whatever situation you were in, you knew that there was no pattern or predictability to Nines. You wouldn’t know when it was coming or not. So you just accepted that when it did, it did. That was the best you could do. Or you could tell him to fucking knock it off if it really bothered you, but it didn't, so why not get a hug every so often from the emotionless android?

 

\---

 

It took him hugging you about four times before you finally tried to reciprocate the fifth time. 

 

Your legs dangling, you allowed yourself to relax and slump in his hold, knowing he wouldn’t drop you; and then you wrapped your arms around his neck slowly and gently. Nines let you touch him for about five seconds before he ended the contact and set you back on the floor. You noticed he left the precinct much faster that time than usual.

 

It caught your attention.

 

What was his game? What was he expecting or looking for with this behavior? What sort of android looked for physical attention without being asked? Well, you knew the answer to that.

 

A deviant.

 

\---

 

You’re on your toes. It’s been a while since Nines has initiated contact with you besides idle chat, and even that was becoming more and more slim, but he also didn’t have the chance. You were busier than usual and almost never alone. 

 

It wasn’t on purpose. You wanted Nines to have whatever… _whatever_ it was he got out of hugging you, but it wasn’t exactly like you could set up a time with him. He couldn’t, or wouldn’t, hug you publicly and it was pretty much an unspoken rule between you two that you never mention it. So you figure that Nines will just have to wait.

 

Unless he doesn’t want to do it again. You’re secretly afraid you might have crossed a boundary when you decided to hold him, which really didn’t make sense since he was literally getting as close to you as he could, but Nines must be sensitive or something. That was your guess. So. You stay on your toes, attentive and waiting for him patiently while you wallowed secretly in doubt and anxiety.

 

\---

 

The sixth time was actually all on you and you promise that you didn’t mean it. 

 

An unexpected side effect of getting special attention from Nines was affection. For him.

 

You were growing a soft spot for him. It was unintentional but you couldn't deny that it was true. With this secret you shared, you felt like he was letting you in somehow. You wanted to cherish that fact and you ended up cherishing  _ him  _ as a whole. 

 

So when he walked into the precinct bloody and wounded, you didn’t have control of your reaction. It was too sudden.

 

“Nines,” you had gasped when you saw him and you quickly crossed all the desks in your way of getting to him. Your worried eyes looking from his shot arm to his right eye. It was… you didn’t know what it was. Glitching? Did someone stab him there? It looked cracked, broken, and worst of all, it was drained of color. His blue-grey eye iris stained inky black. 

 

It wasn’t necessarily a hug, but you held him. One hand gently resting on his waist and the other cupping his cheek, drawing him close to you as you observed his injuries. “Why- why aren’t you at some sort of hospital?” You hate that you stuttered. 

 

“It’s not lethal damage. I will be fine for a few hours, and the mission comes first.” His voice is touched with static and that’s when you notice the dent around his neck. 

 

Someone had tried to choke him, that was clear, and it was affecting his voice. 

 

Nines pushes you away, but it’s not forceful. He just grabs your hands and places them back to your sides. You let him. Then he wordlessly steps around you, continuing to wherever he was headed before. 

 

“I hope you take care of yourself, Nines.” It jumps out of you before you can stop it. 

 

Nines only nods. 

 

\---

 

You got several questions and stares for your concerned behavior over the android, of course. You ignored them for the sake of Nines, and also because you didn’t know what to say. Why _did_ you care? Why should you?

 

You stare at the android from your desk, your chest burning uncomfortably. He doesn’t notice, nor should he. 

 

Your confusion makes you endlessly upset and angry. You hate how in the dark you are when it comes to him. How does he feel?  _ Does _ he feel?

 

What do _you_ feel?

 

...You don’t know. 

 

\---

 

The seventh time is special. 

 

You weren’t even at work. It was only two days after you saw him torn up at work that he came to you again. But it was different. He was looking for you this time. He _wanted_ you. Maybe even needed you.

 

You were alone at an art store, a place you knew Nines had no business being. Browsing the aisles, looking at all the different materials before you felt a soft tug on the hood of your jacket. It was subtle enough that you could have shrugged it off if you wanted. When you turned around, your breath caught in your throat.

 

There he was. 

 

And his eyes were grey once again, but they were different. They were desperate.

 

Nines tugged on you again, holding your jacket as he stepped away. You followed him instantly and stopped once he had found a more secluded part of the store. You didn’t even have to wait until the floor left your feet.

 

This time you hugged him back instantly. Your arms around his neck, trying to be mindful of his injury from before. In kind Nines held you tighter, much tighter than he ever did before he slumped.

 

Finally, he let himself relax in your arms. You think this might be what he was building up to. Learning how to relax and become vulnerable. And for whatever reason, you were the best person to be that with.

 

Nines face nuzzled into your neck, his shoulders slack but still holding you against him before he slowly places you back on the ground, his back bent as he keeps hugging you even then. 

 

“I’m glad you found me,” you whisper in his ear and feel him shiver. “Are you alright?”

 

Nines doesn’t speak. He nods, once. 

 

“Would you like to come home with me?”

 

It’s privacy. Completely and utterly so. No office cameras, no wandering eyes. Just the two of you. 

 

“Yes,” he whispers. 

 

You hold his hand the entire walk back. 


End file.
